1. Field
Embodiments of the invention relate to automatically filling a drive table.
2. Description of the Related Art
Automated data storage libraries (e.g. tape libraries including tape drives) are known for providing cost effective storage and retrieval of large quantities of data. The data in automated data storage libraries is stored on data storage media (e.g. tape cartridges) that are, in turn, stored in storage slots (or storage shelves or the like) inside the library in a fashion that renders the data storage media, and its resident data, accessible for physical retrieval. An accessor may be used to move data storage media (e.g., tape cartridges) between the storage slots and data storage drives (e.g., tape drives). Such data storage media are commonly termed “removable media.” Data storage media may comprise any type of media on which data may be stored and which may serve as removable media, including but not limited to magnetic media (such as magnetic tape or disks), optical media (such as optical tape or disks), electronic media (such as PROM, EEPROM, flash PROM, Compactflash TM, Smartmedia TM, Memory Stick TM, etc.). or other suitable media. Typically, the data stored in automated data storage libraries is resident on data storage media that is contained within cartridge and referred to as a data storage media cartridge. An example of a data storage media cartridge that is widely employed in automated data storage libraries for data storage is a tape cartridge.
Sometimes data that is written to the data storage media is encrypted and data that is read from the data storage media is to be decrypted. Encryption may be described as the transformation of data into a form, called a ciphertext, using an encryption key the cannot be easily transformed back to the original data without the decryption key. Decryption may be described as the process of transforming the encrypted data back into its original form using a decryption key.
In some conventional systems, a drive table identifies all tape drives, and drive information (e.g. tape drive serial numbers) is entered into the drive table manually, for example, by a system administrator via a Command Line Interface (CLI). That is, an additive CLI command is entered for each tape drive. The additive CLI command specifies a drive identifier or drive name (e.g. a tape drive serial number) as one of the command's parameters. As this manual solution requires a human to enter drive information, the solution is error prone. Additionally, the manual solution is very time consuming when installing a large number of tape drives (e.g. 192 tape drives in a library). Moreover, if the manual solution runs in the foreground, then processes running in the background may have to be stopped and restarted while the drive table is being completed. Entering drive information manually may also be viewed as a usability problem from a customer's perspective.
Also, some drive tables include a tape drive serial number (“Drive S/N”). However, the tape drive's World Wide Node Name (WWNN) may be the one to stay constant in some environments.
Thus, there is a need in the art for automatically filling a drive table, including enabling the drive table to be updated based on a WWNN instead of a Drive S/N.